Contact-pole retriever.



, PATENTED JULY 23,- 1907. J. P. MAGKIN. CONTACT POLE RETEIBVER.

APPLICATION FILED APR-6.1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

wmmtoz Josephlfillfack in a ..l. l l u m No. 860,681. PATENTED JULY, 23, 1907.

- J. F. MAGKIN. CONTACT POLE RETRIEV-ER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 6,1906- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. a 21 23 Fig.5.

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JOSEPH F. MAOKIN, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

CONTACT-POLE RETBIEVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed April 6, 1906- e ia 310,263.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I .Tosnrn F. hlACKIN, a citizen of the United States residing at Columbus in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useiul Improvements in Contact-Pole Retrievers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for the prompt, certain and automatic depression or retrieving oi the trolley pole when the trolley leaves the wire.

The invention consists in the construction hereinafter described and claimed, the invention not being confined to precisely the forms and arrangement of parts shown.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure l is a 'top plan view; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a detail of the main cylinder and piston and piston latching 7 devices, looking at them from the side opposite to that seen in Fig. 2, said parts being in the position where the piston is latched; Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the piston drawn l'arther out for the purpose of releasing it and resetting the latching device; Fig. 5 is a detail with parts in section oi the auxiliary cylinder and piston with connections for controlling the operation of the valve that regulates the admission of the operating [luid to the main cylinder; Fig. 6 is a detail of an electromagnetic apparatus for controlling the operation of the valve that regulates the admission of the operating fluid to the main cylinder.

In the several views 1 designates the trolley pole, a fragment only of which is shown. The pole is pivoted at l to a revolving stem sleeve 2. Extending hori zontally from the stem sleeve is a rod 3 to the outer end of which is bolted a cylinder 4. In the cylinder is a piston 5 the outer end 01' which is provided with a shoulder G. The piston 5 is connected with the pole by means of rods 7, said rods having turn buckles 7, ii desired, to vary the length of the connection between the piston and pole. The connection between the piston and pole is shown to be such that the pole will be depressed by the movement of the piston toward the open end of the cylinder.

8 designates a spring between the piston and stem sleeve adapted to yieldingly hold the pole up and the trolley against the trolley wire. Mounted on the side oi the cylinder is a valve chamber 9 containing a slide valve 10 having a port 10.

11 is a pressure supply port into the valve chamber, and on the opposite side of said chamber is a port leading into the end of the main cylinder behind the piston. This port is indicated by dotted lines Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 5 the slide valve is provided at its right hand end with a protruding stem 12 on which is a spring 12 tending to draw the valve so that its port shall aline with the ports of the chamber; and at its left hand side the valve is provided with a rod 13 terminating in a link-like loop 13. On the exposed end oi the piston 5 is a stud 14 that projects into the opening of the link-like loop 13*. Mounted on the cylinder 4 and above the valve chamber 9 is a small cylinder 15 containing a piston 16. The piston 16 has a stem l6 that is connected at its outer end with one end of a bell-crank lever 17 that carries at its other end a sliding pin 18 to engage a notch 13 in the rod 13 of the valve 10. On the stem 16 is a spring 19 that bears against a small bracket 20 attached to the cylinder 15 and the side of the piston 16 and tends to press said pis ton inward and hold the pin 18 in engagement with the rod 13, thus preventing the operation of the rod until the piston is actuated. The main cylinder 4 communicatcs with the small supplemental cylinder 15 through a pipe l5 connected to both.

13 is a stop to limit by abutment against the valve chamber the movement of the valve to a position where the port 10 properly establishes communication between the pressure supply and the main cylinder.

Pivoted at 21 upon the upper end of the main cylinder 4 is a latching lever 21 the free end of which is adapti'zd to drop in between the shoulder (3 and the end of the cylinder to latch the piston when the trolley is retrieved. Attached to the outer end of the piston is a rod 22 reaching back over the upper side of the cylinder and parallel to the plane of action of the lever 21.. The rod 22 has a lug 22 at its free end adapted to bear against a small lever 21 projecting fixedly from the axis of the latching lever 21 and thus raise the latching end of the lever when the pole is given a further pull downward alter the automatic retrieving action has been completed, as seen in Fig. 4 When the latching end of the lever has been thus raised a small gravityrest 23 pivoted on the side of the latching lever drops into position to support said latching lever in raised position when the piston is permitted to return to normal position in the cylinder due to the pressure of the spring 8 that also raises the pole. When the piston returns to normal position in the cylinder a plate 22 on the rod 22 trips the gravity-rest 23 and resets the piston latch in position to drop into latching position for a fresh retrieving operation. In this position the outer end of the latch rests on the upper edge of the shoulder 6 while the piston moves under it. The latching lever can be held from upward jolting and be given downward pressure at its latching end by means of a spring 24 secured to the cylinder and pressing upward on the opposite end of the lever. The cylinder is provided with a vent or vents 4 to release the retrieving pressure at approximately the moment the cylinder latch is released to latch the cylinder.

The operation of the mechanism thus far described is as follows: Let the parts be assumed to be in the position indicated in Fig. 2 and that such position is that when the trolley is running on the trolley wire, then if the trolley runs off the wire the pole will swing upward and push inward the piston of the main cylinder, thereby compressing the air therein. This compression of the air will move the piston 15 outward and lift the pin 18, whereupon the spring 12 will move the valve 10 to establish communication of the pressure supply with the main cylinder. The pressure thus ad mitted to the main cylinder pushes the main piston outward and therefore depresses or retrieves the pole and to a point where the trolley wheel will be well below the trolley wire. The retrieving action carries the shoulder 6 beyond the end of the latching lever 21 so that said latching lever can drop into position toprevent a retiu'n of the piston until this is desired. The retrieving action also brings the stud 14 into engagement with the loop-like end of the valve rod and moves the valve 10 to cut off the pressure supply to the main cylinder but the retrieving action continues, owing to the pressure remaining in the cylinder, until the ports 4 are reached, when the pin 18 is depressed by the spring 19 into the notch 13 to latch the valve rod. After the automatic retrieving operation is completed the conductor man pulls, by means of the usual rope, the pole a little farther downward or so that the lug 22 will draw against the small lever 21, thus raising the cylinder latch, after which the spring 8 moves the pole toward the conducting wire. It will be observed that the link-like end 13 permits play of the stud 14 and piston 5 due to the variations in the height of the same trolley wire, but the pole is adaptable to lines the general average of the height of which varies by adjusting the turn bucklesfi.

In Fig. 6 l have illustrated how an electro-magnet and armature may be substituted for the supplemental fluid pressure cylinder and piston illustrated in Fig. 5, but I have also illustrated in connection with the electro-magnet and armature arrangement a modification ol the devices for latching and releasing the stem of the valve for controlling the admission oi the fluid pressure to the main cylinder. in said Fig. 6 the character 25 designates the electro-magnet and 26 the armature. 27 designates a rod extending from the armature and connected with a double bell-crank lever 34 that carries two pins 28 and 29. A spring 30 between a shoulder on the rod 27 and a standard 31 fixed on the valve chamber tends to pull the armature away from the magnet and to throw the pin 28 downward, but the magnet when energized overcomes said spring and throws the pin.29 down. The rod of the valve in the electro-magnetic arrangement is provided with two elongated notches or grooves 32 and 33. In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 6 the trolley wheel is in contact with the wire and the magnet is preferably energized by a current shunted from said wire. When the trolley leaves the wire the current in the magnet will. be broken and the spring 30 will withdraw the pin 29 from its notch 33 permitting the pressure supply valve to be drawn by its spring into position to admit pressure to the main cylinder and consequently to effect the retrievingof the pole as before described. When the pole is retrieved the stud 14 engages the link-like end of the Valve rod and draws the valve to cut oil pressure to the magnet is again energized, thus depressing the pin 29 into its notch 33 in time to prevent the valve from being thrown into pressure-admitting position but still leaving it prepared to be thrown into such position when the electro-magnet is demagnetized by the escape of the trolley wheel from the wire.

It will be noted that the notch 32 is so located with reference to the notch33 that the pin 28 can be depressed without engaging it when the valve is to be released for the purpose of admitting pole-retrieving pressure to the main cylinder.

It will also be observed that in both cases the notch or groove in the pressure supply controlling valve stem into which the latching pins are projected should be long enough to permit the downward drawing of the pole alter the retrieving action is completed to lift and reset the piston latching lever 21.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a contact pole retriever, the combination with the pole, means for raising the pole, a main cylinder and a piston therein connected with the pole, said piston when subjected to Iluid pressure adapted to depress the pole, said piston also adapted to generate pressure upon the escape of the pole, means for supplying fluid pressure to the cylinder for depressing the pole, a valve to control said pressure supply, means for controlling the operation 01' said valve comprising a supplemental cylinder communicating with the main cylinder and a piston in the supplemental cylinder actuated by the fluid pressure generated by the escape of the pole.

2. In a contact pole retriever, the combination with the pole, means for raising the pole, a cylinder and a piston therein connected with the pole, said piston when subjected to iluid pressure adapted to depress the pole, means for supplying iiuid pressure to said cylinder, a valve to control said pressure supply, and means tending to move said valve to admit the lluid pressure, a supplemental device actuated by the fluid pressure generated by the aforesaid piston upon the escape of the pole from the wire to release said valve to admit pressure to said cylinder, and means actuated by the pole to cut off the pressure.

3. In a contact pole retriever, the combination with the pole, a cylinder with a piston therein connected with the pole, means for raising the pole, said piston when sub jected to lluid pressure adapted to depress the pole, means for supplying lluid pressure to said cylinder, a valve to control the pressure supply, means for actuating the valve to admit the pressure supply, means operated by the pole to move the vah'e to exclude the supply, a latching device to retain the valve in position to exclude the supply and means actuated by the fluid pressure generated by the escape of the contact from the conducting wire to release said latching device.

4. In a contact pole retriever, the combination with the pole, means for raising the pole, a cylinder with a piston therein connected with the pole, said piston when sub jected to fluid pressure adapted to depress the pole, means for supplying lluid pressure to said cylinder, a valve to control the pressure supply, a spring for moving the valve to admit the pressure supply, means operated by the pole to move the valve to exclude the supply, a latching device to retain the valve in position to exclude the supply and means actuated by the fluid pressure generated by the escape of the contact from the conducting wire to release said latching device.

5. In a contact pole retriever, the combination with the pole, a cylinder with a piston therein connected with the pole, said piston when subjected to fluid pressure adapted to depress the pole, means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinder, a valve to control the pressure supply, means tending to move said valve to admit the supply, a latch to holdsaid valve in position to exclude the supply, and a supplemental cylinder communicating with the main cylinder. a piston in said cylinder, means connecting said cylinder and latch whereby when the contact escapes from the wire the main cylinder is moved to compress the fluid therein and actuate the piston of the supplemental cylinder to release said latch.

(i. In a contact pole retriever, the combination with the pole, a cylinder with a piston therein connected with the pole, said piston when subjected to fluid pressure adapted to depress the pole, a spring acting upon the piston and tending to raise the pole, means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinder, a valve to control the pressure supply. means tending to move the valve to admit the supply. a latch to hold said valve in position to exclude the supply, a supplemental cylinder communicating with the main cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, means connecting said cylinder and latch whereby when the contact escapes from the wire the main cylinder is moved by the aforesaid spring to compress the fluid therein and actuate the piston of the said supplemental cylinder to release the said latch.

'1 In a contact pole retriever, the combination with the pole, a cylinder with a piston therein connected with the pole, said piston when subjected to fluid pressure adapted to depress the pole, means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinder, a valve to control the pressure supply, means tending to move said valve to admit the supply, a latch to hold said valve in position to exclude the supply, a latch to retain said piston after the pole is retrieved and a vent to exhaust the fluid from the cylinder approximately contemporaneously with the latching of the cylinder, and means adapted to release said cylinder latch without releasing the valve controlling the pressure supply.

S. In a contact pole retriever, the combination with the pole, a cylinder with a piston therein connected with the pole, said piston when subjected to fluid pressure adapted to depress the pole, means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinder, a valve to control the pressure supply, means tending to move said valve to admit the supply, a latch to hold said valve in position to exclude ,the supply, a latch to retain said piston after the pole is retrieved, means operative by the pole for releasing said last named latch, a vent to exhaust the fluid pressure from the cylinder approximately contemporaneously with the latching of the cylinder, means connecting the pressure supply controlling valve with the pole whereby the retrieving action thereof cuts off the pressure supply, said pole being operative to release the cylinder latch without releasing the pressure supply controlling valve.

.l. In a contact pole retriever, the combination with the pole, a main cylinder with a piston therein connected with the pole, said piston when subjected to fluid pressure adapted to depress the pole, means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinder, a valve to control the pressure Supply, means tending to move said valve to admit the supply, a latch to hold said valve in position to exclude the supply, a supplemental cylinder communicating with the main cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, means between said last named piston and the valve to operate said latch to release the same when the pole escapes from the wire, a latch to hold the piston of the main cylinder after the pole is retrieved, means operative by the pole for releasing said last named latch, a vent to exhaust the fluid pressure from the main cylinder approximately contemporaneously with the latching of the cylinder, means connecting the pressure supply controlling valve with the pole whereby the retrieving action thereof cuts oit the supply, said pole being operative to release the cylinder latch without releasing the pressure supply controlling valve.

10. In a contact pole retriever, the combination with the pole, a cylinder with a piston therein connected with the pole, a spring acting upon the piston said piston when sub jected to fluid pressure adapted to depress the pole, means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinder, a valve to control the pressure supply, means tending to move said valve to admit the supply, means to hold said valve in position to exclude the supply, means actuated by the air pressure in the cylinder due to the action of said spring to raise the valve holding means, means for retaining the piston and pole in retrieved position, means connecting the pressure supply controlling valve and pole whereby the retrieving action of the latter cuts 01f the pressure supply, said pole being operative to release the means retaining the piston and pole in retrieved position without releasing the pressure supply controlling valve.

11. In a contact pole retriever, the combination of the pole, a fluid pressure cylinder and piston therein operatively connected with the pole, a pressure supply to move the piston in one direction to depress the pole, means to move the piston in the opposite direction to raise the pole and compress fluid in the cylinder, and means actuated by such compressed fluid to'admit fluid pressure to said cylinder to depress the pole.

12. In a contact pole retriever, the combination of the pole, a fluid pressure cylinder, and piston therein, a pressure supply therefor, means to raise the pole and move the piston to compress fluid therein, means actuated by such compressed fluid to control the admission of pressure sup ply to said cylinder, a device to latch the pole in its re trieved position, Ineans whereby the pressure supply is cut off, and means whereby the cylinder is exhausted when the pole is retrieved.

13. In a contact pole retriever, the combination of the pole, a fluid pressure cylinder, and piston therein, a pressure supply therefor, means to raise the pole and move the piston to compress fluid therein, means actuated by such compressed fluid to control the admission of pressure supply to said cylinder, :1 device to latch the pole in its retrieved position, means whereby the pressure supply is cut ott, means whereby the cylinder is exhausted when the pole is retrieved, and means whereby said latch is released upon farther depression of the pole after it is retrieved.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOSE H F. MACKIN.

Witnesses OLIN J. Ross, BENJ, Frncnnn. 

